The Milwaukee Bucks trimmed their roster down to themaximum of 15 players Saturday, requesting waivers on guard Trey McKinney-Jonesand forwards Olek Czyz and Stephen Graham.
Hit hard by numerous injuries in the preseason, Grahamand Czyz had to play more than expected in early exhibition games. Both gavethe Bucks solid minutes, while Graham mostly played out of position at powerforward.
"They really have (helped us out)," Bucks coachLarry Drew said. "These guys have been real pros in their whole approachto the thing. It's not always easy going into a camp where you have 15contracts. They understood it coming in.
"They have maintained a level of professionalism,and they worked really, really hard. Those guys have played well. To be honest,as well as they've played, they probably deserve some minutes. But that's theunfortunate part of our business. The guys who are going to be here have to getinto a rhythm."
Czyz played in four preseason games, averaging 4.8 pointsand 1.0 rebound per game. The Polish forward and former University of Nevadastar scored 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting against Charlotte on Oct. 12.
Graham, who has appeared in 239 NBA games for seventeams, averaged 5.8 points and 1.4 rebounds in five preseason games with theBucks.
He led Milwaukee in scoring with 15 points in thepreseason opener in Cleveland and scored eight points against Minnesota on Oct.10. Graham played a total of 42 minutes in the Bucks' first two preseason gamesdue to injuries, but saw the floor for just 20 minutes over the last threecontests combined.
A graduate of South Milwaukee High School, McKinney-Jonesplayed in just two preseason games and scored all three of his points in theopener.
Already having played parts of eight seasons in the NBA,Drew feels the 31-year-old Graham can play in the league, but an opportunityjust wasnt there in Milwaukee.
"He just has to get into the right situation,"Drew said. "He's done really well in our camp. Olek has done very well.Trey shoots the ball well enough to where I think he can eventually make it inthis league. All three guys are very capable of doing well in the league."
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